Press Release

Sint-Denijs-Westrem, 15 May 2025

Ceres Pharma NV, a Belgian based pharmaceutical company, active in Women’s and Family Health, has acquired 100% of the shares of the Belgian pharmaceutical company Vésale Pharma NV.

The acquisition of Vésale Pharma is another step in the implementation of Ceres Pharma’s strategy to build an important position in Women and Family Healthcare in Europe and further strengthens Ceres Pharma's position in Belgium and its export business.

Vésale Pharma is a Belgian family-owned pharmaceutical company and a pioneer in the field of probiotic food supplements. Since 1996, Vésale Pharma has been developing, manufacturing and marketing probiotic solutions based on the latest scientific findings. Owner of several strains and patents, Vésale Pharma markets a wide range of products in the fields of digestive, children's, immune and women's health. Vésale Pharma’s women’s health brands such as Vinalac® and Bacilac femina®  are well known among Belgian doctors and pharmacists. In Belgium, Vésale Pharma promotes its brands to general practitioners, specialists and pharmacists. Outside Belgium, Vésale Pharma has developed strong partnerships with trusted local distributors. In 2024, Vésale Pharma achieved a turnover of 6.7 million euros.

"I am pleased that we have successfully concluded an agreement with the owners of Vésale Pharma. This acquisition fits seamlessly into Ceres Pharma’s strategy to strengthen our position as a key player in Women and Family Healthcare in Europe. Meanwhile, our most recent acquisition, Kela Pharma, has been successfully integrated into Ceres Pharma Belgium. The acquisition of Vésale Pharma will further strengthen our position in Belgium. In addition, Vésale Pharma’s distributor network will reinforce our export business. All existing distribution contracts will be honored",  says Mario Debel, CEO of Ceres Pharma.

“Vésale Pharma's products stand out from the competition thanks to the rigorous selection of probiotic strains used in our products and a patented encapsulation process (Intelicaps®) that allows the probiotic strains to maintain their metabolic activity. We have chosen Ceres Pharma as the ideal partner to further develop and expand our probiotic solutions in Belgium and abroad”,  says Jehan Liénart, CEO of Vésale Pharma.

The price of the acquisition will not be disclosed. Vésale Pharma was advised by M&A boutique Merodis and law firm Cresco. Ceres Pharma was advised by KPMG.

About Vésale Pharma                                                                                                                                                

Vésale Pharma is a Belgian family-owned pharmaceutical company and a pioneer in the field of probiotic food supplements. Since 1996, Vésale Pharma has been developing, manufacturing and marketing probiotic solutions based on the latest scientific findings. Owner of several strains and patents, Vésale Pharma markets in Belgium and abroad a wide range of products in the fields of digestive, children's, immune and women's health.

About Ceres Pharma                                                                                                                                               

Ceres Pharma is a dynamic and fast growing, Belgian based, pharmaceutical company, founded in 2017 by Mario Debel and Alychlo and acquired in 2021 by Naxicap Partners. It is the ambition of Naxicap and the founder and CEO Mario Debel to grow Ceres Pharma through the development of its own product portfolio as well as through acquisitions. Ceres Pharma is active in the development and distribution of drugs, medical devices, biocides, cosmetics, qualitative food supplements and pharmaceutical preparations in Belgium, Italy and in Central and Eastern Europe.

About Naxicap Partners                                                                                                                                                 

As one of the top private equity firms in France, Naxicap Partners - an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers - has 6.7 billion euros in assets under management as of 31 December 2022. As a committed, responsible investor, Naxicap Partners builds solid, constructive partnerships with entrepreneurs so that their projects can succeed. The firm has more than 100 investment professionals spread across six offices in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Nantes, Frankfurt and Zurich.